Narrative:

Ground control which often is also used for tower frequency cleared us into position to hold runway 01. We read back the clearance to taxi into position runway 01 twice. We taxied into position and held runway 01. The ground controller questioned us as what our position was we asked him to 'say again' and then he just said contact tower 118.15, we rogered and contacted the tower. The tower cleared us for takeoff. Later in the flight at cruise altitude we talked about the situation. Nothing was mentioned by the controller that we did not belong on the runway. But the tone of his voice made us wonder! In the USA we are used to the phrase taxi into position and hold runway. That is why we read back our clearance twice as there is a language problem in spain and it is often hard to understand the spanish controllers. We think that possibly the ground controller said 'taxi into holding position runway 01.' which means hold short of runway. That phrase and ours (USA) taxi into position and hold runway 01 are so similar but mean different things. Runway 01 is just a takeoff runway so there was no conflict. Perhaps there should be a change in wording used to make for a safer operation in countries that speak different languages. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter states language problem and phraseology differences are major factor. He feels most pilots revert to instincts and 'position to hold' to most us pilots means on the runway. That's not the intended instruction. Result -- confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR IN MADRID CONFUSED BY CTLR PHRASEOLOGY, TAXIS ONTO RWY.

Narrative: GND CTL WHICH OFTEN IS ALSO USED FOR TWR FREQ CLRED US INTO POS TO HOLD RWY 01. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC TO TAXI INTO POS RWY 01 TWICE. WE TAXIED INTO POS AND HELD RWY 01. THE GND CTLR QUESTIONED US AS WHAT OUR POS WAS WE ASKED HIM TO 'SAY AGAIN' AND THEN HE JUST SAID CONTACT TWR 118.15, WE ROGERED AND CONTACTED THE TWR. THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. LATER IN THE FLT AT CRUISE ALT WE TALKED ABOUT THE SITUATION. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED BY THE CTLR THAT WE DID NOT BELONG ON THE RWY. BUT THE TONE OF HIS VOICE MADE US WONDER! IN THE USA WE ARE USED TO THE PHRASE TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY. THAT IS WHY WE READ BACK OUR CLRNC TWICE AS THERE IS A LANGUAGE PROB IN SPAIN AND IT IS OFTEN HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE SPANISH CTLRS. WE THINK THAT POSSIBLY THE GND CTLR SAID 'TAXI INTO HOLDING POS RWY 01.' WHICH MEANS HOLD SHORT OF RWY. THAT PHRASE AND OURS (USA) TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 01 ARE SO SIMILAR BUT MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS. RWY 01 IS JUST A TKOF RWY SO THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. PERHAPS THERE SHOULD BE A CHANGE IN WORDING USED TO MAKE FOR A SAFER OPERATION IN COUNTRIES THAT SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES LANGUAGE PROB AND PHRASEOLOGY DIFFERENCES ARE MAJOR FACTOR. HE FEELS MOST PLTS REVERT TO INSTINCTS AND 'POS TO HOLD' TO MOST U.S. PLTS MEANS ON THE RWY. THAT'S NOT THE INTENDED INSTRUCTION. RESULT -- CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.